Button-cutting machine.



PATENTBD NOV. 10, 1903.

M. H. HESS.

BUTTON CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 4, 1903.

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No,743,506. PATENT,ED-NOV.10,1903. M. H. HESS.

BUTTON CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION TILED MAY 4, 1903. v

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PATENTBDNOV. 10, 1903.

M. H-ESS. BUTTON CUTTING MACHINE.-

A-PPL-IOATION FILED MAY 4, 1903.

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U W I 1 WITNESSES:

No. 743,506. PATENTED NOV. 10, 1903.

M. H. HESS. BUTTON CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATTONIILED MAY 4 1903.

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UNITED STATES i'atented November 10, 1903 PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN H. HESS, OF MUSCATINE, IOWA.

BUTTON-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 743,506, dated November 10, 1903.

Application filed May 4, 1903. Serial No.155,549. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN H. HESS, a citi class of machines which are especially adapted for the cutting of button-blanks from suitable stock-such as shells, bones, and similar material-from which the finished article is finally completed. These machines usually consist of a head-stock'provided with a rotatable shaft carrying a cylindrical saw or cutter and a tailstook provided with a slidable tubular pushershaft having a wood pusher-plug connected thereto and means for operating the pusher-shaft to force the shell or otherstock against the saw to cut theblank therefrom and withdraw the shaft after the cutting has been completed.

It is the object of the present invention to improve the above class of machines,whereby greater strength and utility are secured, its efiectiveness materially enhanced, provision made for taking up the frictional wear of the several operating parts of the machine, providing means for facilitating the connecting or disconnecting the wood pusher-plug with the pusher-shaft, and improving and adding durability to the several operating parts of the machine, whereby the eifectiveness thereof will be materially increased, resulting in a superior class of work and not liable to become out of order or inoperative from ordinary usage, which advantages in a machine of this character are of importance in the manufacture of button-blanks from a mate rial such as shells and like stock where a specially-constructed machine is required.

The invention therefore consists in a button-blank-cuttingmachine constructed substantially as shown in the drawings, and hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevation of a complete button-blank-cutting machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the tail-stock, on an enlarged'scale, showing the wood pusherplug, adjustingscrew and handle for operating the same, and

the pivot-bolt in elevation; Fig. 3, a similar view of the upper portion of the head-stock, showing the rotatable shaft, the pulley thereon, and the cutter in elevation; Fig. 4, a perspective view of a portion of the tail-stock; Fig. 5, a sectional end view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a detail sectional View, on an enlarged scale, showing aportion of the adjusting-screw in elevation and its several connections in section; Fig. 7, a perspective view in detail of the socket end of the tubular pusher-shaft and regulating-nut therein, and Fig. 8 a similar view of the tubular butt for receiving the wood pusher-plug.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a suitable bench or base for supporting the head-stock'B and the tail-stock O, which comprises, in part, the button-blank-cutting machine.

The head-stock B is rigidly connected to the bench or base A by bolts, screws, or by any other preferred means, so that it will remain fixed and stationary, while the tailstock 0 is movableand adjustable to or from the head-block and also movable and adjustable horizontally upon the arc of a circle.

To provide for these adjustments, the tail-' stock 0 is adj ustably connected to a support D, and said support is grooved upon its under side to engage a guide-rail a, so that the support can be moved longitudinally along the bench or baseA as circumstances require.

The tail-stock O is pivotally connected to the support D by means of a central pivotbolt 19, which extends through a suitable boltopening a in the bench or base A, the upper end of the bolt being screw-threaded and extending up through the tail-stock, a screwnut 01 engaging the screw-threaded end of the bolt. The loosening of the nut will allow the tail-stock to be moved in either direction horizontally on the arc of a circle, its movement being limited by a suitable stop -e, (shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings) and by retightening the nut upon the bolt the tailstock will be held stationary in its normal position. In order to better guide themovement of the tail-stock when moved horizontally upon the arc of a circle or laterally, the

support D is formed with an upwardly-projecting circular track f, and the under side of the tail-stock is rabbeted, as shown at g, to fit over and upon the track, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Although I have described in detail the manner of pivoting or swiveling the tail-stock to its support, I do not wish to be understood as limiting the invention to any specialmeans of rendering the tail-stock horizontally movable on the arc of a circle, as any means that will attain this end may be substituted for the means shown, the importance and purpose of this adjustment of the tail-stock being hereinafter described.

The head-stock B, which is stationary upon the bench or base A, carries the rotatable shaft E, provided with the cone-pulley F, over which passes a belt connecting with the driving power, or other suitable means may be employed to impart motion to the shaft. The shaft E has the cutter G connected to its end in the usual manner by a clamping-sleeve h of ordinary construction, the form and construction of the cutter and the manner of connecting it to the shaft being open to many variations and changes, the cutter in the present instance being preferably of steel in the form of a hollow cylinder with teeth upon its cutting edge, as is common in this class of cutters. The shaft E is held in the headstock B by split bearing-collars H, and when the shaft becomes loose by frictional wear in its bearings by means of the set-screws 't' the collars are compressed around the shaft to take up the wear, and thereby hold the shaft steadily in its bearings.

The head-stock B is provided with oil-receptaclesj for containing the lubricant, and connected to the rotatable shaft E are suitable chains lc of sufficient length to extend down into the receptacles, and as the shaft rotates the chains will be brought around the same and distribute the lubricant upon the shaft and again descend into the receptacle to be again supplied with lubricant. The oil is supplied to the receptacles j through openings in which suitable screw-plugs Z are fitted, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, this being one of many means that maybe resorted to in lubricating the rotatable shaft.

The tail-stock is provided with a slidable tubular pusher-shaft I, but prevented from rotating through the medium of the key-rod J, connecting with the clamping-yoke K, which yoke encircles the shaft and is held thereto by a set-screw m, and when the clamping-yoke becomes loose upon the shaft by tightening the set-screw the yoke will be firmly held upon the shaft and prevent the same from moving upon its axis, thereby dispensing with the use of keys or other like means heretofore employed. The key-rod J not only forms an attachment to the clamping-yoke, but forms a guide to the shaft in its reciprocating motion, the rod being supmay be taken up by compressing the bearing through the tightening-screw 0. (Shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.)

The front end of the tubular pusher-shaft is supported on the tail stock by means of the split bearing L, (shown in Fig. 4; of

the drawings,) the bearing being tightened around the shaft to compensate for the wear by means of the tightening-screws p. The rear end of the pusher-shaft I has a screwthreaded opening with which engages the adjusting screw-rod M, said rod being of the desired length to give to the pusher-shaft the required extent of advanced or retracted movement by the turning of the screw-rod as would be required in the operation of cutting the blank from the stock. The adjust-- ing screw-rod M at its rear end has a circumferential flange q and a smooth extension 0', which has its bearing in a screw-cap N, and immediately adjoining this extension is a short screw-shaft s of decreased diameter to the extension and having left-hand screwthreads with which engages a suitable hub 0, having radial operatinghandles P. Any means, however, may be employed for operating the adjusting screw-rod, and the operating-handles may be connected therewith in any preferred manner found best adapted to the purpose, as I do not wish to limit myself to any particular means of operating the adjusting screw-rod.

The short screw-shaft s terminates in a right-hand screw-nipplet, with which engages the nut to, the left and right handed screws enabling any wear to be taken up, and thereby prevent looseness of the parts. In taking up the wear the nut to is first removed and the hub 0 moved forward, after which the nut is replaced.

The rear end of the pusher-shaft I tel-mi nates in a socket Q, in which is located a regulating-block R, said block havingascrewthreaded opening with which engages the threads of the adjusting screw-rod M. This block is provided with regulatingscrews S, the ends of which abut against the base of the socket Q, as shown in Fig.6 of the drawings. The purpose of this regulating-block and the adjusting-screws connected thereto is to take up the wear of the adjusting screwrod and prevent it from giving when it becomes worn and loose in the tubular'pushershaft. As the threads become worn on the adjusting screw-rod the rod can be withdrawn, which will expose the regulating-block and admit of the adjusting-screws beingtightened, the ends of the screws coming in contact with the bottom or base of the socket in which the regulating-block is located, changing the position of the block upon the screwrod M and tightening the parts, and thus taking up the wear.

A tubular butt T is located in the front end of the slidable pusher-shaft I, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, which receives the end of a wooden plug U, said plug having a tlllllt the slidable pusher-shaft I and the wood plug U with a projection or flange o, I do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to any special construction of butt or any special construction of wood plug, either of which may be variously modified or changed in both form and construction without departing from the essential features of the invention or in any manner affecting their usefulness and practicability.

A rapid rotation is given to the shaft E through the medium of belt and pulley or by any other suitable means, or any motive power may be used to impart to. the shaft the required motion, and when cutting blanks from shells said shells are well soaked in water before using and in the process of cutting a small stream of water is continually dropping onto the saw and shell, which prevents the dust flying and renders the cutting of the shell much easier. The operator when cutting a blank from the shell holds the shell against the wooden plug U, the shell being grasped around the edge by metal tongs or other suitable tool especially designed for the purpose. After the shell is held against the end of the wooden plug the operating handle P is turned and through the medium of the adjusting screw-rod M the slidable pusher-shaft I will be forced forward, and with it the shell, and in contact with the cutter G. As the shell comes in contact with the cutter the blank will be cut through the shell, after which the pusher-shaft is withdrawn by turning the operating-handle in the proper direction and the shell moved or adjusted so as to bring an uncut portion on line with the cutter, so that another blank can be cut from the shell in a similar manner to the first blank, and so on until the shellis all utilized, the blanks as they are cut falling into a hopper or suitable receptacle placed in convenient position to receive them, each blank being pushed back by the blank subsequently out from the shell.

The wood plug heretofore in use in this class of machine was made to be easily inserted in the end of the pusher-shaft. water constantly dropping on the cutter and shell would also Wet the plug and cause it to i ment of the tail-stock to one side will enable access to be had to the metal butt and Wood plug therein, said butt being firstremoved bya suitable wrench or other like tool, after which the wood plug may be readily driven out with a rod or similar instrument, the plug being replaced by a new one and the butt again connected to the end of the pushershaft. When the tail-stock is to be turned around, the nut upon the end of the pivotbolt is first loosened, allowing the tail-stock to be swung around to the desired angle to enable access to be obtained to the butt and wood plug, and after removing the old plug and replacing it with a new one in the butt and the latter replaced in the end of the pusher-shaft the tail-stock is swung back to its former or normal position and the nut on the pivot-bolt tightened, which will securely hold the tail-stock in its proper position for the successful operation of the machine. The tail-stock is in reality made in two separable parts, the support upon which the tailstock rests being one of said parts and is movable along the bench or base of the machine, the elongated slot through which the pivotbolt passes allowing of this longitudinal movement along the bench or base, the nut on the pivot-bolt being first loosened, and after the tail-block has been moved to the position required the nut is tightened, which will hold the tail-stock and its support in its adjusted positi0n,but allow of the tail-stock being swung around on its axis by again loosening the bolt, as hereinbefore described.

In describing the several details of construction in the machine embodying my invention I wish it to be distinctly understood that the specific construction as shown and described is not in any manner essential to the successful operation of the machine, and it is therefore obvious that many changes or modifications may be resorted to without affecting the essential features of the invention or in any manner afiecting the successful operation of the parts.

It is evident that the tail-stock may be connected to its support in any manner that will admit of its moving sidewise or laterally to obtain convenient access to the butt and the wood plug held thereby, the butt and plug being subject to many changes in form and construction without departing from the principle of the invention, as may also other parts of the machine, such changes coming within ordinary mechanical judgment and may be made as circumstances would require to render the machine effective and practically operative. The metal butt may have straight or flat sides upon its flange, as shown at min Fig. 8 of the drawings, so as to enable the butt to be removed by a wrench, or any other convenient means may be provided for the convenient removal of the butt from the pusher-shaft by a suitable tool or instrument.

Having now fully described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

" circle, and a slidable tubular pusher-shaft.

1. In a button-cutting machine, a suitable bench and a stationary head-stock thereon, a support longitudinally slidable upon the bench and having a circular track, a tailstock upon the support and swiveled thereto whereby said tail-stock is capable of turning laterally and horizontally upon the arc of a supported by said tail-stock, and DIGELDS'COIL necting with the end of the tubular shaft against which the shell or other material is held while being operated upon, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a button-cutting machine, the combination with a stationary head-stock, of an independently-swiveled tail-stock adapted to turn horizontally upon the arc of a circle, a

slidable tubular pusher-shaft supported by said tail-stock, and a removable plug upon the end of the pusher-shaft against which the shell or other material is held while being operated upon, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a tail-stock of a button-cutting machine,a slidable pusher-shaftsupported thereby, a screw-rod engaging said shaft by which the same may be advanced or retracted, suitable means for turning said screwrod, a socket upon the rear end of the pusher-shaft, and an adjustable block located therein and engaging the screw-rod to take up the wear thereof, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a tail-stock for button-cutting machines, a suitable pusher-shaft, an adjusting screw-rod engaging therewith to advance or retract said shaft, a left-hand and a righthand screw-threaded extension upon the end of the adjusting screw-rod which are of different diameters, anda regulating screw-n ut engaging therewith, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a tail-stock for button-cutting machines, a slidable pusher-shaft, an adjusting screw rod connecting therewith, suitable means for turning the screw-rod, said rod provided with a socket upon its inner end and a block located therein and engaging the screwthreads of the adjusting-rod, and regulatingscrews extending through the block, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In a button-cutting machine, asuitable tail-stock, a pusher-shaft, means for operating said shaft, a metal butt removably connected to the end of the pusher-shaft and a wood plug removably seated in said butt, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. Inabutton-cuttingmachine,atail-stock, a slidable pusher-shaft, a removable butt connected to the end of the pusher-shaft, and a wood plug seated in the butt and having a flange or projection to limit the extent to which it enters the butt, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. In a button-cutting machine, a suitable tail-stock, a slidable pusher-shaft, means for operating said shaft, and a metal butt to receive the wood plug,'said butthaving a flange or projection at its outer end and means for engaging a wrench or other tool therewith to facilitate the withdrawal of the butt from engagement'with the pusher-shaft,substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. In a button -cutting machine, a headstock and a rotatable shaft supported thereby and carrying a suitable cutter, a tail-stock pivotally connected to its support, a slidable pusher-shaft supported by said tail-stock and suitable means for operating the shaft, a butt removably connected to the end of the pusher-shaft, and. a wood plug removably connected to the butt, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN H. HESS.

Witnesses: v

JOSEPH MANRATH, FRANK HESS. 

